Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
It wouldn’t be a miracle if it happened every year.
Kaiser got more than a little revenge against Nanakuli, which ended the Cougars’ season last year in the OIA White playoffs.
This time around, the Cougars schooled the Golden Hawks 70-20 on homecoming night at Kaiser Stadium on Friday.
The Cougars scored on eight of the nine times their offense touched the ball. Their other scores came on the opening kickoff and an interception return in the second quarter.
It was the most points Kaiser has scored in a game in the state championship and Prep Bowl eras, beating the 69 it scored twice, in 1979 against Roosevelt and 2006 against Kalani. The most points Nanakuli had allowed in that span was the 61 it yielded in a loss to Saint Louis in 2004.
Kaiser never punted in the game, the second contest in a row it can say that. It beat Waialua 56-0 last week.
"I was thinking NFL and reminded them it is a 60-minute game," Kaiser coach Rich Miano said. "They rocked us back on our heels a little bit and it was a good wakeup call. It was the first time we played from behind in a while; last year they put us in that situation and we panicked. I knew we would make plays, it’s just a matter of settling down."
Thomas Leong started the offensive show with an 86-yard return of the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Nanakuli failed to get a first down the first time it had the ball, but a fumble on the punt return gave the Golden Hawks new life and Eric Au Hoon-Kaawa scored from two yards out. Nanakuli’s 2 failed, though, and the Golden Hawks trailed 7-6.
Nanakuli, perhaps knowing it was overmatched, tried to squib the ensuing kickoff away from Leong and had it bounce off the upback’s shin. The impromptu onside kick gave them the ball once again. Chazz Troutman, who led Nanakuli to its miracle last year, ran 49 yards on an option keep on the next play and punched it in on a sneak two plays later. He hit Destin Moss for the extra 2 points and the underdogs led 14-7 before Kaiser quarterback Kahoalii Karratti took his first snap.
Karratti needed only five plays to drive his team 65 yards for the score when he finally got the ball, handing it to Leong for a TD from 5 yards out to narrow it to 14-13.
Kaiser’s defense adjusted to Nanakuli’s scheme after that, with Isaac Slade-Matautia sacking Kale Kanehailua on third down and Nic Tom covering up punter Marcus Fo’i on a bad snap to give the ball to the offense 8 yards from paydirt. It took Fitou Fisiiahi one play to turn it into a lead, and Karratti hit Jeshua Bitanga for the extra point for a 21-14 advantage.
Nanakuli had no magic left after that and Kaiser’s offense scored the next three times it had the ball, needing a total of seven plays to turn it into a rout. Kaiser led 48-14 at halftime.
"You have to look deep into their program," Nanakuli coach Keala Watson said. "They have everything in place and they have an offseason program that rivals college programs. Maybe we can see them again and be better prepared for them."
At Kaiser
| Nanakuli (2-3, 2-2) |
14 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
— |
20 |
| Kaiser (4-1, 4-0) |
21 |
27 |
16 |
6 |
— |
70 |
Kais–Thomas Leong 86 kick return (Matt Sai kick)
Nan–Eric Au Hoon-Kaawa 2 run (kick failed)
Nan–Chazz Troutman 1 rush (Troutman pass to Destin Moss)
Kais–Leong 5 rush (kick failed)
Kais–Fitou Fisiiahi 8 run (Kahoalii Karatti pass to Jeshua Bitanga)
Kais–Fisiiahi 50 run (kick blocked)
Kais–Makaio Hopeau-Lampitoc 12 interception return (Sai kick)
Kais–Leong 3 rush (Sai kick)
Kais–Leong 29 pass from Karatti (Sai kick)
Kais–Safety, punt snapped out of end zone
Kais–Parker Higgins 5 pass from Karratti (Sai kick)
Kais–Curt Clivio 53 pass from Kahi Neves (Sai kick)
Nan–Marcus Foi 3 pass from Troutman (pass failed)
Kais–Neves 3 run (kick blocked)
RUSHING–Nanakuli: Troutman 11-81, Au Hoon-Kaawa 11-33, Naliko Kea 7-11, Malika Haina-Horswill 5-11, Foi 1-(minus 16), Elijah Kaimi 2-2, Kale Kanehailua 1-(minus 10). Kaiser: Fisiiahi 6-90, Higgins 1-39, Karratti 1-22, Leong 3-13, Neves 1-3, Justin Ikei 1-0.
PASSING–Nanakuli: Troutman 5-12-1-51. Kaiser: Karratti 11-13-0-140, Neves 1-1-0-94, Leong 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING–Nanakuli: Foi 3-21, Hoon-Kaawa 1-25, Dezmond Kaaihue 1-5. Kaiser: Leong 3-62, Zach Kano 2-82, Bitanga 2-17, Destin Moss 2-15, Higgins 2-5, Curt Clivio 1-53.
Junior varsity–Kaiser 28, Nanakuli 12
Radford 65, Waialua 7
Cody Lui-Yuen threw for 318 yards and five touchdowns as the Rams dominated the Bulldogs.
At Radford
| Waialua (1-5, 1-4) |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
— |
7 |
| Radford (5-1, 4-1) |
20 |
19 |
13 |
13 |
— |
65 |
Rad–Jameson Pasigan 15 pass from Cody Lui-Yuen (kick failed)
Rad–Tobias Powell 51 run (pass failed)
Rad–Chance Cacatian 80 pass from Lui-Yuen (Andrew Killen run)
Rad–Absolom Henry 35 pass from Lui-Yuen (Killen kick)
Rad–Pasigan 72 pass from Lui-Yuen (kick failed)
Wail–Joseph Roland 3 run (Thomas Pule kick)
Rad–Powell 1 run (kick failed)
Rad–Henry 14 pass from Lui-Yuen (Killen kick)
Rad–Pasigan 22 run (kick failed)
Rad–Cacatian 57 run (kick failed)
Rad–Izaiah Lavatai 98 yd interception return (Killen kick)
RUSHING–Waialua: Roland Ramos 4-24, Kebi Dellatan 11-21, Jacob Casey 1-11, Taleon Lele 11-10, Roland 2-9. Radford: Powell 8-90, Cacatian 4-55, Rashon Osborne 6-27, Killen 2-25, Lui-Yuen 3-24, Justin Lugo 1-2, Team 1-(minus 19).
PASSING–Waialua: Lele 12-24-4-128. Radford: Lui-Yuen 12-16-0-318.
RECEIVING–Waialua: Xavier Repollo 6-91, Mila Lele 4-5, Pule 1-22, Dellatan 1-10. Radford: Pasigan 4-118, Henry 2-49, Powell 2-12, Cacatian 1-80, Thomas Reid 1-36, Lugo, 1-23, Keanu Keaweehu-Ancog 1-0.
Junior varsity–Radford 52, Waialua 0
Pearl City 50, Anuenue 7
Reno Abero rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown, and Justin Dupio ran for two more scores as the Chargers routed Na Koa.
At Pearl City
| Anuenue (0-5, 0-4) |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
— |
7 |
| Pearl City (3-2, 3-1) |
21 |
8 |
15 |
6 |
— |
50 |
PC–Timothy Rivera 59 pass from Jordan Taamu (Dominic Maneafiga kick)
PC–Justin Dupio 4 run (Maneafiga kick)
PC–Reno Abero 23 run (Maneafiga kick)
PC–Travis Joe 2 run (Rivera run)
Anue–#30 67 run (Naalii Dureg kick)
PC–Kainoa Kahilihiwa Jr. 65 fumble recovery (Rivera run)
PC–Dupio 9 run (Maneafiga kick)
PC–Joe 1 run (kick failed)
RUSHING–Anuenue: #30 8-100, Kaimiloa Tasaka 8-26, Kainoa Keli-Nahaku 9-23, Kaimalino Bobiles 2-11, A.J. Grace-Kekawa 2-0. Pearl City: Abero 7-134, Dupio 4-37, Taamu 4-32, Joe 4-10, Matt Dulatre 1-5.
PASSING–Anuenue: Kona Kelekolio 4-13-0-52. Pearl City: Taamu 9-12-1-187.
RECEIVING–Anuenue: 25 1-30, Bobiles 1-10, Dureg 1-9, Tasaka 1-3. Pearl City: Rivera 4-73, Kierren McGhee 2-81, Dulatre 2-29, Jacy Crail 1-4.
83